September 23, 2012

A Morning at the Heritage Breed Poultry Swap

TODAY'S SWAP, WHICH WAS HELD IN LANCASTER, MASSACHUSETTS WAS ORGANIZED BY THE NEW ENGLAND BANTAM CLUB

With state fairs and poultry shows ending for the season, local poultry clubs often hold poultry auctions or swaps, where everyone from backyard urban farmers to those who raise poultry for trade and market, sell their stock. Poultry swops are terrific places to meet other poultry enthusiasts, and if you are just starting with your own flock, these are often the best places to get advice and make connections locally with experts.

THE SILVER GREY DORKING, A HERITAGE BREED CHICKEN RAISED FOR NEARLY 2000 YEARS, IS BEST AS A MEAT CHICKEN, THAN AS A LAYER OF EGGS. THEY ARE DOCILE, AND EAT LESS THAN MOST BREEDS

If you've been thinking about getting a few hens for your backyard garden, an autumn poultry swap and sale may be the best way to start. At swaps, you can see and purchase many breeds and types chickens often sold in matched pairs, but such swaps are not just limited to chickens. Most offer a selection of every type of poultry found on a farm, often heirloom breeds, and more unusual types of heritage breed turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons and other fowl.

PYNCHEON BANTAMS, KNOWN TO BE AMONG THE RAREST OF ALL BANTAM BREEDS, ARE NO LARGER THAN A PIGEON. THE BREED IS SO OLD, THAT NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE EVEN WROTE ABOUT THEIR RARITY IN 1850,

SAXON PRIEST PIGEONS, A RARE BREED NOT COMMONLY SEEN OUTSIDE OF PIGEON SHOWS

A SELECTION OF VINTAGE POULTRY SUPPLIES FOR SALE

A RARE BLUE SLATE HERITAGE BREED OF TURKEY CATCHES A HOME RIDE IN AN SUV

THIS VINTAGE POULTRY CRATE WAS TOO FINE NOT CAPTURE. THERE WERE MANY OLD WOODEN CRATES AT THIS SHOW.

SILKIE BANTAMS ARE ALWAYS POPULAR - THEY ARE THE POODLES OF CHICKENS

AT HOME, ONCE WE RELEASED THE NEW BARRED ROCKS INTO THE PHEASANT COOP, I NOTICED THAT THE LADY AMHERST PHEASANTS HAVE GROWN BACK INTO THIER FINERY AGAIN, AFTER MOULTING IN JUNE.

LADY AMHERST PHEASANTS HAVE STRIKING PATTERNS IN THEIR FEATHERS, WHICH MAKE THEM A FAVORITE WITH FLY TIEING ENTHUSIASTS